Freshman and sophomore year Brian Dixon's friends asked him to come out for track and field. "Give it a try. See if you like it!" It was the same every year and the same response from Dixon: "It's just not for me." After playing soccer for Sebring High School and recognizing he was faster than a lot of others on the field, he decided to test out track his junior season.
"I figured if I am this fast on the soccer field why not see if I'm just as fast on the track. My dad saw it as great conditioning for my heart and legs, so it was just a bonus that I did it this year."
The transition wasn't exactly easy. Dixon recalls his first time out at track practice. The starting blocks scared him and he began to think this would be a fun yet intersting experience.
"I had never used them before and I was and still am not the greatest at those blocks. The training was tough compared to what we did in soccer. The first couple practices were anything but easy in my mind."
His first meet in a Blue Streaks uniform was anything but glamorous. At the Lake Placid home meet, he was admittedly nervous as anyone would be in their first race. He slipped out of the blocks, but still managed to get the win in a time of 22.80. He says after he competed in a couple more meets and got faster the nerves went away.
"I did better and started getting more confident. I knew there were fast runners in Florida, and I didn't see myself as one of them. I figured I would only do good (locally) and beat the rivals here in Sebring."
Dixon competed in the USF Steinbrenner Invitational after three weeks of small local meets. He'd been running times of 11.6 and 11.7 the previous weeks, but adjusted to the competitive nature of the Tampa meet dropping his time to 11.07 and pushing even harder. He says that meet taught him several lessons that would benefit him later on in the postseason.
"I needed to adjust quickly to how fierce the runners were. The 200 made me force myself and push even without ever training on form or technique. At that point I ran 22.05 or so. I tried to adjust well. I was thinking this will be good I am doing good maybe I have a shot at district or regionals."
Nicknamed "White Lightning" by teammates and friends his improvement and speed was on display at the district and regional championships. Dixon finished third in the 100 and won the district championship in the 200. At regionals, he dropped his times even more running a personal best of 10.88 placing seventh and 22.05 for fourth. The performance in the 200 earned him his first state championship berth in just his first year of running. He says the state meet was an honor and a huge accomplishment for him seeing how he made it in just three months of training.
"The state meet was very very bad conditions and of course it rained and there was a heavy headwind. I remember being in lane one with puddles where I started off and slipping twice along the curve. I was shocked that I did that there. Fourth place against some very fast runners is amazing."
That experience was one that he will never forget and a pivotal point in his young career. It really opened his eyes to the talent he truly has and where this sport can take him. The following week Dixon competed against the top runners in the Southeast at the Golden South Classic. For the second time in the season, he dipped under 11 seconds in the 100, running a time of 10.89 and finished fourth in the 200. His time of 21.25 in the prelims was a new personal best (he ran 21.33 for fourth in the finals). He still plans on doing soccer his senior year, but will also put more emphasis on track and field.
"I am going to do both. I enjoy running. I have since I was a kid and with my fourth place at Golden South I feel I have a chance next year to be under 21. I hope to get someone or a group of people to help me train and get me running faster than before. I hope to drop those times and be better at my 200."
He believes the 200 is his event because of his increase in speed after the block start. He says he keeps increasing speed and doesn't slow down so if he can master the blocks that would be a perfect combo. Dixon says he feels under the radar because not many people know his small town of Sebring and because it is his first year in the sport. He hopes that with his recent success and what is to come for his senior season, fans and coaches begin to take notice.
"If I run my races as fast as possible and run the times I know in my heart I'm capable of. I will just need to compete to my best and compete in plenty of events as well as I'm going to do better in each event I do. Any coaches out there looking for athletes would get someone would get my respect and my work ethic. I started running this year and have went from a 23 second 200 to running in the low 21's. I believe I can keep going and with a coaches help from the next level I feel I can do it and I am ready to do it."